His Holiness the Dalai Lama initiating the actual Kalachakra teachings in Bodh Gaya on January 8, 2012. (Phayul photo/Norbu Wangyal)

DHARAMSHALA, January 9: Police in the Indian commercial capital of Mumbai have received intelligence inputs warning that the Dalai Lama may be harmed by six Chinese nationals who are likely to sneak into India.

Media reports have quoted police sources as stating that a Chinese national of Tibetan origin by the name Tashi Phuntsok is likely to enter India to gather intelligence on the Tibetan administration as well as to cause harm to the Dalai Lama.

The six suspects, in all likelihood, were from China's secret service, the sources said.

Asserting that the threat to the 76-year old Tibetan spiritual leader “must not be underestimated,” the Mumbai police noted the increasing trend of Chinese youth entering India on business visas “ostensibly for some clandestine activities”.

“Loss of Chinese passport and recovery of unknown Chinese passport need to be reported promptly, so that the concerned agencies can question them,” the police intelligence report stated. “In this regard, the activities of the followers of 'Shugden cult - an anti-Dalai Lama group - need to be kept under strict vigil”.

The police report further warned that the Chinese agents might “try to visit certain areas prohibited for Chinese like Tibetan camps (in India)”.

The Mumbai police told reporters that they have informed Tibetan organisations and directed the special branch and the local police to keep police officers updated about the Dalai Lama's visit to Mumbai. "He often comes to Mumbai and even goes to slums and mixes with people. We will have to enhance security cover form him in Mumbai," a police officer was quoted as saying.

The secretary for the Department of Security under the Dharamshala based Central Tibetan Administration had earlier told reporters that a large number of Chinese spies could be attending the ongoing Kalachakra teachings by the Dalai Lama in Bodh Gaya.

“In information that we have received, we suspect there might be 1000 to 1500 spies attending the Kalachakra teachings sent by China to study and report on the Tibetan leaders and their activities in the exile community,” Secretary Ngodup Dorjee had told reporters.